The most frequent customer service call received by most computer system or software program manufacturers is a request from a customer who has forgotten his password to access a system. The manufacturer typically has a system in place by which the manufacturer can provide the user with the user's password so the user can return to using the system.
This type of password restore system has several disadvantages, not the least of which is a concern for security. In any system in which a user's password is communicated by telephone or network, i.e., any method by which the user does not present positive identification to receive access to secure systems, there is a danger that a non-authorized person will be granted access to a secure system. Of course, several methods are used to reduce the possibility of unauthorized access, but the security threat always exists to some extent.
Another password restore system involves maintaining a static “back door” maintenance password so that an external agent can access one or more accounts in the event that an account user forgets a user-settable password. Having a static password that provides access to an account is a security vulnerability.
As an alternative to maintaining a back door account for password restoration purposes, an external password recovery agent may be kept up to date with the user-set password or passwords for one or more accounts. This poses logistical obstacles as well as potential security problems.
Cost is another factor that is a disadvantage to the present password restoration methods. When the number of such calls and the time spent by a customer service representative handling the calls are taken into account, this standard type of password restore system is quite expensive for manufacturers. In some cases, the cost of handling just one of these calls can be several hundred dollars.
Therefore, it would be advantageous if there were a method available by which a user who has forgotten a password to a system could restore or reset the password without having to provide or receive information by way of a customer service communication.